The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC, has arraigned one Maureen Umeokana at a Federal High Court, sitting in Awka, Anambra state on a two count charge bordering on obtaining money under false pretence. She was docked before Justice Faji Olayiwola over a land scam amounting to Four Million, Five Hundred Thousand Naira (N4, 500,000.00). Prosecution counsel, Johnson Ojogbane sought leave of the court that the two count charges are read to the accused person. She pleaded not guilty to all the charges.

Defence counsel, G.U.Moneke, prayed the court that bail be granted his client considering the fact that the offence was bailable, assuring that the accused will make herself available any time she is needed in court. Ojogbane however opposed the bail application, arguing that the suspect might jump bail.

Justice Faji, after due consideration of the arguments of counsel on both sides, granted the accused person bail in the sum of Three Hundred Thousand Naira and a surety in like sum. The surety must be a civil servant on at least grade level 14, who must depose to an affidavit of means.

The case was subsequently adjourned to July 2nd 2012 while the suspect was remanded in EFCC custody pending the fulfilment of her bail condition.

Umeokana found herself in this mess, after one Honourable Chukwuma Umeoji alleged that she introduced him to one Mr. Ofoneme S. Enukora (now at large) to buy a piece of land located at Amudo Village, Awka, Anambra State. Unknown to him, the accused person had fraudulently sold the same land to several people. Also, he discovered that Mr. Ofoneme Enukora (now at large) and one Mr. Chukwudi Onuora had been in dispute over the same piece of land for years before it was also fraudulently sold to him at a total sum of Four Million, Five Hundred Thousand Naira.

Media & Publicity Unit
22nd June, 2012.